11 Oct 2012
Tasting Kirin’s Megumi from his beer tap, the owner of Sake & Grill, Toshi Maeda, just beamed in delight. The only comment was “Fantastic!” He just loves drinking it.
Introducing himself as ‘The Sake Master’, Maeda offers the honourable Japanese culture of drinking and the Izakaya culture to those born and raised in Melbourne.
Former-bandsman, Maeda started his own business five years ago due to his passion towards sake. There were many reasons to why Maeda chose to locate his restaurant along Bridge Road, Richmond alongside many branded outlet stores.
At the time there were no Japanese style restaurants in the area and Bridge Road is where many of his target customers – people ranging from their twenties to forties spend their time.
The picture menu is centred on charcoal grilled skewers, however boasts a large selection of casual Japanese food. In addition, more than one hundred brands of sake are stocked in the store at all times.
There is a lot to MAEDAYA.
The traditional yet modern interior is decorated mainly with sturdy hemp ropes. The menu has also been created to match the tastebuds of the Aussies. Brands of sake that cannot be found elsewhere in Melbourne can be sourced in MAEDAYA. Moreover, Maeda’s passion towards the drinking culture and his enthusiasm towards promoting the drinking culture he loves from the bottom of his heart.
It was something that seemed common yet unique. Soon enough, the restaurant and bar became a big hit.
“We don’t stock wine in our bar, which actually requires quite a bit of courage to do, giving we’re in Melbourne. Well, we did get yelled at, at first. But in the end, its sake that suits Japanese dishes best.”
Maedaya tells us his customers become amazed when he recommends sake to them and individually teaches them how to enjoy it as they would enjoy wine. “Many customers come here again, sometimes for the same sake and other times to try something else.”
Of the customers that come through his restaurant, more than half are return customers. They are open-minded and willing to try new things. Through Maeda’s passion towards food and sake, a strong bond forms between him and his customers. Staying popular for a long period of time just proves how fantastic the place is.
During the weekends, the popularity of the restaurant sometimes results in having customers wait for more than an hour to just get in. Although it is great to know the business is a huge success, Maeda feels apologetic to keep his customers waiting. Just when Maeda was figuring out what to do to solve this problem, the shop next door closed down.
He commissioned the Japanese-Dutch, de Keyzer carpenter brothers to renovate and design the store. As a result, Maeda’s second establishment was opened in August.
Maeda talked about how in the future, he wants to knock down the walls and combine the two stores into one with a slight twist to the concept.
The original store will still remain the same as always, providing an environment where people can enjoy the crowded atmosphere of a Japanese bar. Whilst in contrast, the new store would offer a calm and quiet atmosphere, with semi-private rooms. There, customers can enjoy Japanese food with some privacy. “It would be lovely if customers could come as a family.”
As The Sake Master, Maeda recommends three signature dishes that he declares would match up perfectly with Megumi, the only tap beer in the store.
Sumiyaki Set
Usually eaten as starters alongside sake, it is not hard to understand why MAEDAYA’s charcoal grilled skewers are such a great hit. Served up piping hot, the skewers are brought to perfection through charcoal grilling. Juicy skewers with an appetising aroma and char – just excellent.
The recommended skewer set includes, starting from the left, tsukune (meat loaf with egg), yakitori (chicken), inari (sweet bean curd), beef and pork.
The tsukune skewer is accompanied with wasabi mayonnaise, providing it with a rich flavour with a bit of a sting on the tongue, which goes well with beer.
Yakitori is made from Victorian bred chicken which is finished with a glaze of sauce to suit the Australian taste.
The inari skewer has a crisp exterior which contrasts with the juicy interior. The secret of its popularity lies within the pinch of shichimi (Japanese blended spice) to balance out the sweetness.
The beef and pork skewers are lightly seasoned with salt. The beef skewer is served with amamiso (a sweet and salty bean paste), whilst pork is served with a lemon and chilli sauce.
The thought of making every bite heavenly is what inspired the creation of these five skewers.
Every bite just shows the dedication packed up in the menu.
Chicken Nanban
Deep-fried chicken is flavoured with sweet vinegar and served with a generous share of homemade tartar sauce. The rich flavour of the chicken combines quite well with the refreshing taste of Megumi.
What more can you ask for? It’s the perfect izakaya match for beer.
The lightly seasoned lotus root chips which come accompanied with the chicken nanban serves as one of the popular side dishes which is also fabulous with beer.
You just HAVE to be aware not to drink too much!
Spicy Tuna Roll
Although it looks like any other another tuna and avocado sushi roll, you’ve got to try it with a tiny bit of chilli paste on top! You’ll need some cool beer to counter its hotness.
A delicious serve of miso mayonnaise is also served in the roll, enhancing its flavour.
By all means, enjoy the roll with soy sauce. But do try it with the balsamic vinegar. You’ll be surprised with the Japanese flavour when it’s been given a bit of Italian swing.
A squeeze of lemon is also recommended as the tinge of sourness complements the spicy tuna roll.
So, how does everyone from MAEDAYA like Megumi?
“It is very popular. We offer bottles of beer, but it is way more popular than any other. A lot of people come and start off with a glass of Megumi, sake usually comes later. There are also people that drink sake whilst they drink beer.”
The consistent high quality associated with Megumi even satisfies The Master of Sake.
Finishing off his share of beer, Maeda explains that “Draught beer is determined by its freshness. Not only is Megumi produced in Australia, it only uses the first brew of beer after fermentation. Due to this, Megumi’s freshness, clearness and purity is different from any other beer. It’s the best quality beer.”
Although being surrounded by bottles and bottles of sake, the one and only tap in the store just cannot be ignored.
Story: Noriko Tabei
Translation: Yin Ki Kyra LEUNG
SAKE & GRILL MAEDAYA
400 Bridge Rd Richmond VIC 3121
TEL: 03 9428 3918
WEB: www.sakejapan.com.au
Opening Hours: Sun – Thu 5.30pm – 10pm, Fri and Sat 5.30pm – 11pm
